Effects of Ventenata dubia removal on rangelands of northeast Wyoming

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Marshall Hart ◽  
Brian A. Mealor
Keyword(s):  
Great Basin ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Western Us ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
One Year

Abstract Ventenata dubia (Leers) Coss is one of several annual grass invaders of the western US. Ventenata dubia is documented reducing the forage availability for livestock and wildlife as well as lowering biodiversity in the Great Basin. This species has recently spread to the Great Plains, where it could bring these impacts with it. We attempt to answer questions on whether or not conservation practices, in this case removal of V. dubia with herbicide, results in recovery of forage resources and biodiversity. We answer these questions by measuring biomass, cover, and nutrient content one year post treatment at eleven sites in Sheridan County, Wyoming, conducted in two years. Perennial grasses have higher crude protein and total digestible nutrients than V. dubia and removal of V. dubia resulted in a positive perennial grass response both years. Further, the differences in pattern of growth between perennial and annual species, with annual grasses quickly senescing early in the year, make perennial grasses a more dependable forage base with higher available nutrients. Interestingly, total biomass and nutrient mass did not change after V. dubia removal due to equal replacement with perennial grasses. Species richness and diversity were unaffected by removal of V. dubia. Our results suggest that managing invasive annual grasses, particularly V. dubia, in the northern Great Plains can improve forage resources for livestock and wildlife while maintaining species diversity. Therefore, proactive monitoring and management efforts to prevent spread should be prioritized in this region.

Spring Glyphosate Application for Selective Control of Downy Brome (Bromus tectorumL.) on Great Basin Rangelands

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 297-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christo Morris ◽  
Lesley R. Morris ◽  
Cheryl Surface
Keyword(s):  
Great Basin ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
First Year ◽  
Grass Cover ◽  
Perennial Species ◽  
Downy Brome ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
Annual Grasses

Downy brome has converted millions of hectares of Great Basin rangelands from shrubland to annual grass-dominated systems. Methods for removing downy brome from sites that already have perennial grasses established are especially needed because of the difficulty in re-establishing perennial species. In this study, early spring applications of glyphosate alone and glyphosate plus imazapic were monitored for 2 yr. Cover of downy brome was reduced from 45 to 10% by spring application of glyphosate alone and to approximately 1% with the addition of imazapic. Perennial grass cover was not affected by the spring application of glyphosate. The addition of imazapic reduced perennial grass cover in the first year; however, it recovered by the second year. The selective response to glyphosate may be due to differences in growth stage or dormancy characteristics between annual and perennial species. Our findings suggest spring application of glyphosate may provide an alternative approach for managing annual grasses on Great Basin rangelands.

Correlations between environmental factors, the biomass of exotic annual grasses and the frequency of native perennial grasses

2006 ◽  
Vol 54 (7) ◽  
pp. 655 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanja I. Lenz ◽  
José M. Facelli
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Soil Factors ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
Exotic Annual Grasses ◽  
Native Perennial Grass

The species composition of temperate grasslands in the mid-north of South Australia has been radically altered from a system dominated by native perennial grasses to a system dominated by Mediterranean annual grasses. This study investigated the importance of chemical and physical soil characteristics, topographical features and climatic variables on the abundance of native and exotic grass species in nine ungrazed grasslands. Overall, climatic and other abiotic factors were highly variable. In addition, past management practices and original species composition are generally unknown, leading to further unexplained variation in the data. On a large spatial scale (among sites), the abundance of exotic annual grasses was positively correlated with mean annual rainfall, and on any scale, with finer soil textures and higher soil organic carbon levels. The most abundant annual grass, Avena barbata (Pott ex Link), was generally associated with soil factors denoting higher soil fertility. The abundance of native perennial grass species was not correlated with any environmental variables at any scale. The various native perennial grass species did not show clear associations with soil factors, although they tended to be associated with factors denoting lower soil fertility. However, at small spatial scales (within some sites) and among sites, the abundances of exotic annual and native perennial grasses were strongly negatively correlated. The results suggest that at the present time, rainfall and soil properties are important variables determining the abundance of annual grasses. The driving variables for the abundance of perennial grasses are less clear. They may be controlled by other factors or extreme rainfall events, which were not surveyed. In addition, they are likely to be controlled by competitive interactions with the annual grasses.

scholarly journals Changes in yellow bristle grass (Setaria pumila) abundance after drought implications for pasture management

2009 ◽  
Vol 62 ◽  
pp. 211-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.N. Tozer ◽  
T.K. James ◽  
C.A. Cameron
Keyword(s):  
Key Management ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Botanical Composition ◽  
Annual Grass ◽  
Bare Ground ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Soil Calcium ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
Previous Summer

Yellow bristle grass (YBG) which is a summeractive annual grass reduces pasture quality and becomes unpalatable to stock as panicles mature Farmers are concerned that an extreme drought from November 2007 to March 2008 may have facilitated the spread of YBG and other summeractive annual grass weeds Botanical composition was assessed on 12 Waikato dairy farms in February 2009 and YBG abundance was related to key management factors These findings were compared with data collected from the same farms (February 2008) during the drought Between years ryegrass cover and the proportion of bare ground decreased These components were replaced by two summeractive annual grasses YBG and summer grass and to a lesser extent summeractive perennial grasses clovers and dicots In 2009 YBG cover was negatively associated with summeractive perennial grass cover and pH and positively associated with YBG cover in the previous summer and soil calcium levels

The Influence of Recent Grazing Pressure and Landscape Position on Grass Recruitment in a Semi-Arid Woodland of Eastern Australia.

1996 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
VJ Anderson ◽  
KC Hodgkinson ◽  
AC Grice
Keyword(s):  
Seedling Emergence ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Grazing Pressure ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Run Off ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
History Of ◽  
Semi Arid

This study examined the effects of previous grazing pressure, position in the landscape and apparent seed trapping capability of soil surface micro-sites on recruitment of the perennial grass Monachather paradoxa (mulga oats) in a semi-arid woodland. Seedling emergence was counted on small plots which had been kept moist for one month. The plots were on bare ground, or at grass tussocks, or at log mounds, sited in the run-off, interception and run-on zones of paddocks that had been grazed for six years at 0.3 and 0.8 sheep equivalent/ha. Few naturally occurring perennial grass seedlings emerged on any of the sites. The level of previous grazing pressure influenced the recruitment of grasses from natural sources as well as from seed of M. paradoxa broadcast on the soil surface; significantly more grass seedlings recruited in paddocks stocked at 0.3 than at 0.8 sheep/ha. Emergence of the sown grass did not differ significantly between the three zones in the landscape, but trends in the data suggest the interception zone may have been the most favourable. Recruitment from in situ grass seed was highest in the mulga grove (run-on) zone. Most seedlings of the sown grass emerged around the bases of existing perennial grass tussocks, but recruitment of volunteer perennial and annual grasses was more evenly distributed between the mulga log-mounds and perennial grass tussocks. It is concluded that very low levels of readily germinable seed of perennial grasses remained in the soil at the end of the drought and that areas with a history of high grazing pressure have less probability of grass recruitment when suitable rain occurs.

VECTOR AND HOST RELATIONS OF NORTH AMERICAN WHEAT STRIATE MOSAIC VIRUS

1963 ◽  
Vol 41 (8) ◽  
pp. 1171-1185 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. T. Slykhuis
Keyword(s):  
Mosaic Virus ◽  
Lolium Multiflorum ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Wheat Varieties ◽  
Wheat Seedlings ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
Chloris Gayana ◽  
Test Plants

Wheat striate mosaic virus from wheat in southeastern Saskatchewan was acquired and transmitted by both nymphs and adults of the leafhopper Endria inimica (Say) collected in Ontario. The preinfective period of leafhoppers varied from 4–6 to 22–24 days after they first fed on diseased plants. Records of serial transmission by individual insects varied greatly. Some insects infected most test plants on which they were given 2-day feeds during 20 to 30 days after the preinfective period, but subsequently they transmitted irregularly. Some transmitted virus for only a few days. Others transmitted intermittently for several weeks. None of the insects infected any plants on which they fed later than 72 days after feeding on diseased plants even though some lived another 10 to 20 days. Two of 25 insects became infective after feeds as short as 30 seconds on diseased plants, but the percentages of infective insects increased to more than 90% as acquisition access times were increased to 2 or more days. All insects from some inbred lines became infective after 3 days on diseased plants, but 45% of the descendants of one non-transmitting female failed to become infective. The inoculation threshold period on Ramsey wheat test plants was 15 minutes, but the percentage of test plants infected increased from 15% to 88.8% as the test access times were increased to 4 days. The incubation period of the virus in Ramsey wheat seedlings varied from 6 to more than 28 days.In tests of host reactions, all durum wheat varieties were highly susceptible to the virus. Several of the hard red spring and winter wheat varieties were highly susceptible and a few others were highly resistant or immune, but most were mildly to moderately susceptible. Most varieties of oats and barley and 10 species of wild annual grasses were moderately susceptible. Mild to moderate symptoms also developed on some of the plants in one or more varieties of Zea mays L., Lolium multiflorum Lam., L. perenne L., and Bromus inermis Leyss. Four varieties of rye tested did not develop symptoms, nor did any plants in 13 species of perennial grasses, including Chloris gayana Kunth, which is susceptible to the Australian wheat striate mosaic virus. E. inimica multiplied on wheat and 14 other annual and 21 perennial grass species, many of which are common on the prairies. There was considerable variation in the reactions to the virus of different plants in the variety Ramsey, but there were no inherent variations detected between the virus isolates used for the experiments. The wheat varieties Cappelle-Desprez and Rescue which are highly susceptible to the European type of wheat striate mosaic virus did not become infected with the Canadian isolates tested.Attempts to transmit the European type of wheat striate mosaic virus with E. inimica failed.

Competitive Ability of Black Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) When Grown with Three Native Grasses

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 159-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordana J. LaFantasie ◽  
Stephen F. Enloe
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Plant ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Hyoscyamus Niger ◽  
Black Henbane ◽  
Greenhouse Study ◽  
Neighbor Effect ◽  
Mixed Prairie

AbstractBlack henbane is a poisonous, invasive plant in the family Solanaceae, and is typically associated with highly disturbed environments, such as pipelines, roadsides, and mammalian burrows. Often, such disturbances require reseeding for successful restoration; thus, the potential exists for competition between henbane and perennial grasses commonly used in restoration projects. These competitive interactions have not, to our knowledge, been evaluated. We conducted a greenhouse study to compare the response of henbane when grown alone and in combination with three common, cool season, perennial, northern mixed prairie grass species. We examined both seedling and mature grass response to the presence or absence of henbane and the response of henbane to the grasses. Using the relative neighbor-effect index, black henbane was found to be a very poor competitor with mature grasses and two out of three seedling grasses tested. All measures of henbane growth were significantly lower among plants grown with a mature grass pot companion. Total biomass of henbane was up to 99% lower when grown with mature grasses. Mature grasses were not negatively affected when grown in combination with henbane. Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) was the only seedling grass that was competitive with henbane but was also the only seedling grass negatively affected by henbane in both biomass and tiller production. These experiments suggest that henbane is not well suited for invasion of mature grass stands but may negatively influence some perennial grass seedlings in restoration situations.

Effects of Integrating Mowing and Imazapyr Application on African Rue (Peganum harmala) and Native Perennial Grasses

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 617-623 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dustin D. Johnson ◽  
Kirk W. Davies
Keyword(s):  
Great Basin ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Application Rate ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Sagebrush Steppe ◽  
Peganum Harmala ◽  
Full Bloom ◽  
Ecological Sites ◽  
Salt Desert

AbstractAfrican rue is a poisonous, perennial forb that readily invades salt-desert shrub and sagebrush-steppe rangelands. Information detailing options for integrated management of African rue is lacking. To date, a few studies have researched the efficacy of different herbicides for controlling African rue, but none have investigated integrated approaches to its management. Broadcast applications of imazapyr at three rates (0.275, 0.55, and 0.85 kg ae ha−1) were made, with and without a prior mowing treatment, to African rue when it was in full bloom. Imazapyr resulted in significant reductions in both the cover and density of African rue, regardless of application rate or mowing treatment (P < 0.05). Mowing had no effect on African rue cover or density (P > 0.05). Higher rates of imazapyr resulted in significant reductions in the cover of native perennial bunchgrasses (P < 0.05), whereas the low rate did not affect perennial grass cover, regardless of mowing treatment (P > 0.05). Integrating a mowing treatment with imazapyr applications was less effective for controlling African rue than applying herbicide alone. Mowing before imazapyr application did not increase survival of perennial grasses. Our results suggest that the recommended rate of imazapyr for controlling African rue (0.85 kg ae ha−1) could be reduced by as much as one-third on dry floodplain ecological sites within the northern Great Basin without comprising its effectiveness for controlling African rue. This lower rate would reduce nontarget damage to native perennial grasses, which are the dominant functional group in the herbaceous understory. Less damage to native perennial grasses would probably accelerate understory recovery and help prevent invasion by other invasive species.

scholarly journals Drought and Pluvial Dipole Events within the Great Plains of the United States

2015 ◽  
Vol 54 (9) ◽  
pp. 1886-1898 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan Christian ◽  
Katarina Christian ◽  
Jeffrey B. Basara
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
The United States ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
High Plains ◽  
Southern Great Plains ◽  
One Year ◽  
The U.S

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to quantify dipole events (a drought year followed by a pluvial year) for various spatial scales including the nine Oklahoma climate divisions and the author-defined regions of the U.S. Southern Great Plains (SGP), High Plains (HP), and Northern Great Plains (NGP). Analyses revealed that, on average, over twice as many standard deviation (STDEV) dipoles existed in the latter half of the dataset (1955–2013) relative to the first half (1896–1954), suggesting that dramatic increases in precipitation from one year to the next within the Oklahoma climate divisions are increasing with time. For the larger regions within the Great Plains of the United States, the percent chance of a significant pluvial year following a significant drought year was approximately 25% of the time for the SGP and NGP and approximately 16% of the time for the HP. The STDEV dipole analyses further revealed that the frequency of dipoles was consistent between the first and second half of the dataset for the NGP and HP but was increasing with time in the SGP. The temporal periods of anomalous precipitation during relative pluvial years within the STDEV dipole events were unique for each region whereby October occurred most frequently (70%) within the SGP, September occurred most frequently (60%) within the HP, and May occurred most frequently (62%) within the NGP.

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